News:

New Round added to ASRA schedule: VIR North Course

Main Menu

Michael Jordan Motorsports Announcement

Started by motomadness, January 03, 2005, 09:01:05 AM

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Super Dave

Um. I think timing at the test at Daytona said it...

QuoteMontez Stewart, Suz GSX-R1000 Superstock, 1:50.738

If you had enough money, you'd just buy what you need.  Race one brand in one class, another in another.

Robbie Jensen had two Yamaha's and a Suzuki.  Who cares what you ride unless someone is paying the bills.

Suzuki is obviously paying the bills.

Is someone loosing an opportunity over the MJ program?
Super Dave

Nate R

Dave, thoughts about Rapp on the team, too? (Since you gave your opinion and thoughts on J-Prid)

I believe they're all going to be racing Suzukis this year. Yamaha's last year had nothing to do with any deal from Yamaha.
Nate Reik
MotoSliders, LLC
www.motosliders.com
Missing my SV :-(

spyderchick

First off I'm going to preface this with the disclosure that I count Tez as one of my good racing friends and one of my favorite people, so my opinions might be a wee bit biased.

That said: the program that Tez and Casmay put together for Jordan last year was never meant to earn a championship. It was meant for Jordan to get his foot in the door of a sport he had a passion for. No doubt MJ is looking seriously at the opportunity to grow his brand as well as contribute to the exposure of the sport. Consider the 2004 season a "test drive" if you will.

As far as Tez's abilities: you have to qualify for these races, we all know that, and he qualified, most times riding with injuries. He's not the only rider to compete while injured, but it does make getting the job done that much more difficult.

AMA was new to Tez as well, so his learning curve was steep, and he had never been to most of the track they visited last year...EVER. Not bad for a newbie Pro.

He did a respectable job. Just because MJ was the name sponsor of the team, that doesn't mean that the pockets for the team were bottomless. They had to work inside a budget. Granted, it was more than any other privateer could hope for in their inaugural season, but this meant that they had to also learn the business side of it...right quick.

This is just my opinion, however, I truely think this is a long term investment in time, money, and commitment from Jordan. Tez, et al. have afforded MJ an entre' into the sport, and they have treated him as a business partner and fellow rider with a passion for the sport, not some superstar sugar daddy. Jordan is rewarding that with trust and support.

This is one of the coolest sports on the planet, but also one of the most difficult and complicated to get "right", at any level. I think that if Jordan has Tez back on a bike in 2005, there must be something about him that has impressed MJ enough to give Tez that respect. Jordan is no dummy after all.

 

Alexa Krueger
Spyder Leatherworks
414.327.0967
www.spyderleatherworks.com
www.redflagfund.org
Do or do not, there is no "try".

ecumike

#27
QuoteHow in the hell can pridmore be on a "Suzuki" and Tez be on the "Yamaha" and they are all sponsored by Jordan on the same team. That just doesn't seam rite to me. Usually, and correct me if I'm wrong, all riders on a "Race Team" are on the same brand machine. AM I RITE?

That's right, not RITE, and no, you're wrong... unless it's Team Jordan Suzuki or Team Joe shmoe {manufacturer} it don't matter what you're riding.

You and your buddy could be Team Grasshopper - you on a Suz 1000 and he on a Yomamaha 600, it doesn't mean you're not a team. Actually I would think it's better for your 'team' or sponsor, b/c you'd get them more coverage by racing in different classes.

grasshopper

#28
I understand that I made a statement about Tez riding a Yamaha still without reading Daves post good enough.  ;D

Everybody is welcome to hack me down about that. All I can say is "OOPS"

I think its cool as hell that Jordan and Tez met and this whole thing started. It's going to be fun watching what happens this year and I am an avid fan.

I think the main reason why Tez will always be part of the team is because Tez intially took Jordan to Blackhawk and introduced him to the world of Road Racing that we all love so much and what it takes, and what its all about.

KICK ASS, AWESOME, ROCK N' ROLL!

See everyone at the track this year!  ;)

Super Dave

QuoteFirst off I'm going to preface this with the disclosure that I count Tez as one of my good racing friends and one of my favorite people, so my opinions might be a wee bit biased.

Don't think it is.  I really enjoy Tez myself.  Doesn't talk to me as often as other people do.  Never bothered to ask me many racing questions.  I usually won't answer questions unless someone has came to one of my schools....what would you be paying for if I did...

But, the one time that he did, I told him what I though he should do with a shock issue.  Seemed pretty cut and dried to me.  Didn't take my advice at the time, which is fine.  Each has to make their decision.

Anyway, I did sit him down at the Chicago Motorcycle Show last February and talk with him.  Told him some things that I thought.  That's what friends do.  I'm pretty friendly, right...

QuoteThat said: the program that Tez and Casmay put together for Jordan last year was never meant to earn a championship. .  It was meant for Jordan to get his foot in the door of a sport he had a passion for. No doubt MJ is looking seriously at the opportunity to grow his brand as well as contribute to the exposure of the sport. Consider the 2004 season a "test drive" if you will.

Yeah, it wasn't a championship effort.  But I always here everyone talk about the bleeding they do to try to race and how IF they had so much money, they'd do so much better.

Tez is a racer.  Don't make him out to be any kind of an amateur.  Am I correct, or did I read that he did some MX at some point when he was younger?  Might have been a poorly written piece, but it's relevent to the truth of the matter.

QuoteAs far as Tez's abilities: you have to qualify for these races, we all know that, and he qualified, most times riding with injuries.

And that goes for a whole lot of riders.  Nothing new here.  Gary Fisher soaked his cast off in "On Any Sunday" to race, Purk raced two weeks after his compound dislocation of his elbow.  That's what we do..

QuoteAMA was new to Tez as well, so his learning curve was steep, and he had never been to most of the track they visited last year...EVER. Not bad for a newbie Pro.

Tez did an AMA Pro road race in like 2000 or 2001.  That was feeling it out.  Jesse Janisch hardly knows anything about a road racing and doesn't know the tracks.  

The good thing that Jesse had was that he had some people around him that would TELL him things.  Sometimes it didn't make him happy, and sometimes he didn't understand the reasoning.  But is he "faster" now?

QuoteJust because MJ was the name sponsor of the team, that doesn't mean that the pockets for the team were bottomless.

They might have had a window, but they certainly had all the tires they needed.  Really, that's the thing you need.  How many people that are well off do you know that can even approach that.

QuoteGranted, it was more than any other privateer could hope for in their inaugural season, but this meant that they had to also learn the business side of it...right quick.

The resources were available to them to do it right rather than try to teach someone else to operate the team.  The program was bid out to a few places and one was awarded it...like a government bid.  

And that's only too bad for Tez...

If Tez does not so well, since there's so much stuff there, it's all Tez's fault, so to speak.  Makes it easy to go to the industry to get support for "bigger riders".

Nate...Rapp?

Well, good question.  It's a move.  I don't know if he was contracted to Suzuki or to Team Hammer, so I can't give anyone a good answer.  Might have been a move that Suzuki orchestrated.  Might have just been time for a change for him.  Who was available to give results?
Super Dave

Super Dave

#30
QuoteI think its cool as hell that Jordan and Tez met and this whole thing started. It's going to be fun watching what happens this year and I am an avid fan.

Oops taken...LOL!

I think it's cool too.

Just seems like Tez is kind of getting the short end of the stick in ways.

Anyone understand?
Super Dave

grasshopper

#31
QuoteOops taken...LOL!

I think it's cool to.

Just seems like Tez is kind of getting the short end of the stick in ways.

Anyone understand?


I think I understand.

He's getting the poop end of the stick because now Jordan is sponsoring Pridmore who has been in the game and raced pro alot longer than Tez has.

Now Tez has to play Catch up, and people are going to expect him to Match up to Pridmore.

Like you said before, the first guy you want to beat is your team mate (See I did read and gather some information properly), and thats exactly what Pridmore is going to do, Walk all over Tez out on the track.

Super Dave

No, really here's my take.



Tez is a good guy.  Tez and MJ meet.  The sparkling personalities gel.  Others get involved.  Out of the graciousness of his heart, MJ decides that he'd like to try to give Tez and opportunity.  That's what it is.  Given that the others that are involved, they decide who, what, and where the money gets spent.  They don't necessarily have the complete experience to make decisions in Tez's interest.  Certainly, with MJ being around, things happen for sponsorships.  Companies are falling all over their previously supported hard working self made riders and teams trying to ride the coat tails on some of the "others" involved.

The evolution for MJ is that they develop the program into something bigger.  He's a professional athlete, a world champion in his own right.  I don't care for basketball myself, but as someone that competed in racing at the pro level, I could see what he could do.  It was cool.

But it doesn't make him wise at making decisions for a pehipheral pro racer.  Some of those decisions were made by others for Tez.  I don't think they necessarily were in his best interest.  

I think Tez could do better with the proper input, but I don't see him getting it from the program he has now.  I said this at the beginning.  I was right then, but I was hoping to be proven wrong.  

What will change this year?  He will be surrounded by two riders that have ridden factory bikes...albeit, maybe "B" team factory riders...Jason with Yosh (Jason helped out Mladin one year at Mid-Ohio by letting him by to take second and Jason took third...still got him fired the next year, I think), and Rapp...anyone remember the huge crash at RA in 2000?  Wasn't that Rapp?

Anyway, they've been working this angle for quite sometime.  People in the industry know them and they know the tuners, etc.  They can pick and choose, get things...

Who's really looking out for Tez?

I don't forsee his results dramatically improving this year given the situation.  He might have to go looking for help on his own, but he'll actually have to recognize that fact.  
Super Dave

PJ

QuoteRapp...anyone remember the huge crash at RA in 2000?  Wasn't that Rapp?

 

Yep, that was Rapp who ran his brake lever into the back of teammate Johnny K's Duc when he braked early for T1. Scary looking crash indeed.
Paul James
AMA Pro XR1200 #70
www.facebook.com/jamesgangracing
www.twitter.com/jamesgangracing

Protein Filled

QuoteYep, that was Rapp who ran his brake lever into the back of teammate Johnny K's Duc when he braked early for T1. Scary looking crash indeed.

Not to say anything bad about Rapp, since he is way fast, but it's pretty bad that the Road America crash is the one thing that he will always be remembered by...

To give him credit though, he did get right back on a horse and rode!
Edgar Dorn #81 - Numbskullz Racing, Mason Racin Tires, Michelin, Lithium Motorsports



Don't give up on your dreams! If an illiterate like K3 can write a book, imagine what you can do!

PJ

Yeah, it's sad but true. Spectacular crashes will make you more famous (infamous?) than actual accomplishments.

Rapp's RA crash, caught on camera by Henny Ray Abrams, is the only roadracing photo I've ever seen in Sports Illustrated. How wrong is that?

To get back on topic, I sincerely hope Jordan's interest in and support of roadracing will bring the sport a lot more publicity.
Paul James
AMA Pro XR1200 #70
www.facebook.com/jamesgangracing
www.twitter.com/jamesgangracing